GAO Reports VA Hospital Problems Continue

WASHINGTON — More than two years after thousands of veterans were put at risk of disease from improperly cleaned medical equipment, federal inspectors said Tuesday that weaknesses still exist in Veterans Affairs’ policies for cleaning the equipment, posing “potential safety risks to veterans.”

The Government Accountability Office found that a “lack of specificity and conflicting guidance” for developing training “has led to confusion” about which equipment requires device-specific training.

“While the VA has taken some steps for strengthening… much remains to be done,” Randall Williamson, the director of the GAO’s health care team told the House committee on Veterans Affairs. He warned that if the agency’s efforts weren’t improved, veterans could continue to be at risk for infection.